fiato

breath

noun FYAH-toh Rare

Origin: From Latin flatus (a blowing), via Vulgar Latin flatare.

Also means

wind (instrument)

Usage Note

Fiato covers both a single breath and the capacity to breathe (avere il fiatone = to be out of breath). Instruments are classified as strumenti a fiato (wind instruments). The idiom non avere fiato means to be breathless, either literally or from surprise.

Examples

"Gli manca il fiato dopo la corsa."

Natural Translation

He is out of breath after the run.

Literal Translation

To-him is-lacking the breath after the run.

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